Central Church Staff & Volunteers

Michael Carr - Senior Pastor
Pastor Michael Carr has committed his life to serving God and people. It would be difficult to know Pastor Carr outside his relationship with his wife, Lou Ann and their two sons, David and Jonathan. After they married in 1980, they served in three different churches: 44th Street Church of God in Phoenix, AZ; Meadowwood Church of God in Richmond, VA; and Coastal Cathedral Church of God in Savannah, GA. In 1986, they began to investigate the possibility of starting a church in Hilton Head Island, SC. The investigation quickly became a passion. In September, 1987, Pastor and Lou Ann moved to Hilton Head to continue the work that began in January of that same year.

Pastor Carr has a unique gift of making the Scriptures come alive and relative to today. His energetic teaching style creates an exciting learning environment, which captures the loving heart of Jesus.

Pastor and Lou Ann have watched God's hand move in the lives of their church family. From the first meeting at St. Luke's Episcopal Church with 7 in attendance, Central Church has grown to over 400 men and women. Pastor Carr will be the first to stand up and give the glory to God.
Contact Michael

Preston Parrish - Worship/Family Ministries Pastor
Preston & Beverly Parrish grew up just across the river in Savannah, GA. As teenagers they hung out together in the same youth group before heading off to college. Beverly attended Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, GA where she received a BA in Theology. Preston attended Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA where he received a BA in Economics. It should be no surprise, then, that before becoming a stay-at-home Mom, Beverly spent the bulk of her career working for a bank while Preston worked for churches (they've always been a little backwards). They have three children.

With ministry backgrounds that range from serving as College & Career Pastors to Youth Pastors to Church Janitors (oh, it's a ministry!), Preston & Beverly are passionate about teaching the Word of God, worshiping Him, and experiencing Biblical community with other people. They also enjoy touch football (okay, it's more of a Preston thing), online computer games (more of a Beverly thing), hanging out with their kids, and single-handedly keeping TiVo in business, though they're still waiting for their commission check!
Contact Preston

Aaron Thielemier - Administrative Pastor
Born in Colorado, university in Ohio and married in South Carolina. Everyplace has its beauty. Aaron met his wife, Renea, on Hilton Head Island and hasn't looked back since. They enjoy spending time with their son, Carter. As a family, they relax while walking around their neighborhood and playing outside with their cow-shaped dog, Dobbie. Woodworking, playing sudoku and reading history books are some of Aaron's favorite pastimes.

Aaron had the chance to serve Central Church for several years as a service contractor during which God prepared his heart for the change from business to ministry. He now has the incredible opportunity to connect our church family to their passions and to serve our children with excellence.
Contact Aaron

Bob Hinely - Student Ministries Pastor
Bob Hinely started going to church in high school, where God planted the seed in his heart for youth ministry. After several jobs that seemed to lead nowhere, he joined the US Navy. Towards the end of his 5-year commitment, he met Anne on Hilton Head Island. They were married a year and half later. After one visit to Central Church, Bob and Anne knew they had found their new home. While working for Hargray Communications and volunteering his time between the praise team, Teen CBS, and Central Youth Connect, God began pricking his heart. Driven by the sound advice of “don’t let your lack of education stand in the way of what God has planned for your life”, Bob’s faithful volunteer service eventually led to a call to full-time ministry. Now, his passion is his career as opposed to his career getting in the way of his passion. Each week, Bob communicates the magnitude of God’s love, the uniqueness of His plan for each student, and the importance of being receptive to His Call.
Contact Bob

Danielle LaPointe - Administrative Assistant
Completely unchurched, irreligious, and totally lost, Danielle was wandering around in a sad state of purposeless existence. She spent the bulk of her adolescence rebelliously traveling the east coast. She moved to Hilton Head, homeless and ashamed. Then someone just like you, a casual church attendee, gave her a passion-filled invitation to Central. She arrived brittle and crude but was loved and accepted, nonetheless. As she slouched in the most isolated pew she could find, something settled inside, this must be what home feels like.

Soon after coming on staff, she began a Young Adults Bible/Social that is thriving with spiritual growth. She also serves in the Kid Central Ministry every Sunday. With God's grace, she serves these ministries weekly and attends school full-time. She's in her third year at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, where she is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She plans to continue her education, assuming God gives her the go-ahead.
Contact Danielle

Adam Metropolis - Building Maintenance
An independent-minded and passionate individual, Adam is a creative jack-of-all-trades. He studied theatre intensively throughout and after high school, including one year at Clemson University. His music/filmmaking/video production skills are, on the other hand, completely self-taught.

A friendly and outgoing teenager, Adam was voted “Most Creative” by his high school senior class. He received the Island School Council for the Arts Plumb Scholarship for Performing Arts in 2003, and in 2004 traveled to Birmingham, AL after being nominated to compete for an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship in the KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival). On three separate occasions, Adam traveled to Scotland to perform and direct in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival.

In 2004, Adam co-founded Stage II Productions, an ambitious community theatre company that produced five plays in two years, including Amadeus and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. As part of Stage II Productions, Adam learned important bottom-line realities about producing and gained valuable experience in acting, directing, set design/construction, marketing, and incorporating original media into live performance.

Adam would like to emphasize the role that Jesus Christ has played in his life. Without God’s boundless mercy and grace (not to mention His patience), Adam would be doomed.
Contact Adam